Vapor-Liquid Equilibrium Measurements for Aqueous Mixtures of NH3 + MDEA + CO2 and KOH + MDEA

Isothermal vapor-liquid equilibrium measurements were performed for aqueous solutions containing N-methyl diethanolamine (MDEA), MDEA + ammonia (NH3), MDEA + potassium hydroxide (KOH), MDEA + carbon dioxide (CO2), NH3 + CO2, and MDEA + NH3 + CO2. The experiments were carried out between 310 and 390 K and 0.07 and 34 bar using a static synthetic apparatus. Overall, 202 data points are reported in terms of total volume, total number of moles, temperature, and pressure. The experimental results for MDEA(aq), NH3(aq) + CO2(aq), and MDEA(aq) + CO2(aq) are in good agreement with the calculations done using the Extended UNIQUAC model within the studied range. The data presented in this work are also comparable to previously published measurements. This work reports for the first time VLE measurements for aqueous mixtures of MDEA + NH3 and MDEA + KOH. These data suggest that the interactions between MDEA(aq) and NH3(aq) or K+(aq) ions have a minor effect on the equilibrium pressures. Consequently, other physical properties are needed to describe the thermodynamic state of these systems, such as heat capacity, heat of dilution, and other phase equilibrium measurements. The isothermal VLE measurements for solutions containing NH3(aq) showed a pressure minimum that was confirmed by model estimates and by other works done in similar conditions. As a consequence, it is not possible to estimate the partial pressure of CO2 based on the difference between the pressure at equilibrium conditions and the partial pressure of the lean solvent. This paper demonstrates that this common approach to determining the partial pressure of gases may introduce a bias in these values. The dissolution of CO2 into MDEA(aq) + NH3(aq) mixtures changes the speciation of the system, leading to an increase in the concentration of their protonated species (MDEAH(+)(aq) and NH4+(aq), respectively). For this reason, the interaction between these charged species must be determined in order to perform reliable phase equilibrium calculations. Ultimately, the measurements reported in this work can be used for thermodynamic modeling of CO2 capture solvents to ensure accurate results in process simulation.